euphoria
by Vampirette Knight
Summary: It's not perfect, or beautiful or romantic, but it's all Sakura can ask for. Because it's Sasuke and that's all she's ever cared about. Sasusaku.
1. e

**disclaimer - do not own naruto.**

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><p><strong>euphoria<strong>

**e.**

It's not perfect, or beautiful or romantic, but it's all Sakura can ever ask for. Because it's _Sasuke _and that's all she's ever cared about.

He never cuddles with her, or tells her how beautiful she looks. He doesn't take her out on dates or sweep her off her feet.

But he's there, and that's all she cares about.

- x -

"_Hey, Sasuke-kun, why don't you smile more often?"_

"_Hn."_

"_And why do you speak in single syllables?"_

_Smirk. _

"_Because you know what I mean anyway."_

- x -

Sasuke grips her hips tightly, trying to anchor himself to reality. Because, God, this woman made him lose his mind. He pounded into her with adroit precision and relished in the moans of approval in which he received.

The pinkette beneath him squirmed, trying to adjust herself, but to no avail. Sasuke seemed to be fully content in the position she was in, and she knew she wasn't going anywhere.

"Sasu…ah…" her lips parted in ecstasy, her hands gripping onto his shoulders desperately. "Oh, god…please…_please!"_

Sakura arched into him further, letting out another moan. Sasuke's left hand broke free of her hip to snap firmly against her mouth.

"Shut up." He rasped in between disjointed breaths. "If someone hears us because of you, I won't ever let you live it down." His somewhat threatening tone only proved to further stimulate Sakura's pleasure. A jolt of pleasure racked through her body at the thought of possibly getting caught.

Well, they _were _doing it out in the open.

Sakura never suspected Sasuke to ever be the kinky type, but she couldn't have been more off. It seemed that all his pent up emotions poured over into his sexual energy, which spelled trouble for Sakura.

Sakura's legs wound tighter around Sasuke's waist, pulling him deeper inside her with each reckless thrust.

"Shit, Sakura…" he muttered, eyes shut tightly. He quickened his pace, hoping to finish before someone decided they needed Sakura for something.

Sure, doing it in the office is typical. Not so creative.

However, doing it in the office with the door _open _was a completely different story. And it wasn't like her office was on the far corner of the hospital. No, it was in a moderately crowded area. And it was only mid-afternoon.

Sakura's fingers wound through Sasuke's silky locks, pulling his head closer, digging her fingers deep into his scalp as a wave of pleasure racked through her entire body.

"Nya…ah…Sasu…" Sakura moaned; lips parting in pure, unadulterated pleasure. She heard his breath puffing into her ear with each hot pant he released. His rough, calloused hands squeezed her breasts, adding to the stimulation. She shook her head, writhing in a desperate attempt to contain her moans. Her hands gripped his, pushing them away because the pleasure – at that point – was too intense.

She opened her eyes briefly to see a smirk on his face as he thrust himself repeatedly into her, shaking her entire body with the force of his thrusts. She touched his cheek briefly, eyes struggling to stay open. His bangs tickled her face, a low guttural groan slipping from his lips effortlessly.

Sakura liked Sasuke best in times like these. When he was so innocent, and _open _and _vulnerable. _It gave Sakura hope that not all was lost. That there were still parts of his childhood that he held onto.

Her hands released his hair and traveled down to his chiseled chest, tracing the contours of his abs deliciously. Her hands traveled lower to the joining of their bodies and Sasuke cursed under his breath. Suddenly, he stopped his frantic movements and pulled out of her. As Sakura mewled her displeasure, she felt herself being flipped over so that her face was pressed against her placed his head at her opening, tracing his fingers along her spine, before gripping her hips and roughly slamming into her so hard that her body shook in spasms.

Sakura gripped the edge of the desk to anchor herself to _some sort of reality _because he was bringing her into her sweetest fantasy. Her eyes shut tightly in euphoria as a rather loud moan unexpectedly tumbled out of her mouth.

"Shut _the fuck _up." Sasuke commanded harshly, tugging on her hair violently. Sakura – rather turned on by his harsh demeanor – covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her moans. She couldn't hear anything other than the hard slapping of their bodies slamming against each other.

She could feel herself losing reality, the pleasure quickly building up inside her. She ground her teeth together to prevent any further distractions from leaving her swollen lips. His grip on her hips was steel-like, and she would surely have bruises later on to prove it. He increased his pace considerably, his body moving with lightning speed as another quiet groan of her name escaped him.

"Harder…" she whispered, her own voice shaking in time with each thrust. He complied easily, causing her body to react instantly. She choked off a violent cry of release as her orgasm flooded throughout her body with blinding speed. She saw white, her entire body shaking and pulsing with the pleasure that overcame her. Her limbs turned to jelly as the intensity of the orgasm became almost unbearable.

Sasuke felt her walls clamping around his shaft, triggering his own coveted release. As he thrust into her one final time – his hot seed spilling into her – his body became numb with pleasure. He slouched down, his breathing heavy. Sakura's pulse raced, and neither of them could move for a good five minutes.

When their breathing returned to normal, Sakura's wobbly arms slowly lifted her off of the desk. She felt weak and exhausted as she gathered her clothes, Sasuke quickly following suit.

They dressed in silence, too tired to make an effort to talk.

When they finished, Sakura walked up to him and combed her fingers through his disheveled hair, smoothing it out.

When she lingered there too long, Sasuke plucked her wrist and removed it from his hair, dropping it at her side. He wouldn't meet her gaze – which wasn't abnormal. Sakura smiled somberly, looking down.

She heard his footsteps walking away – briefly stopping before muttering, "Let's go."

- x -

_He pretends he doesn't need her. _

_He knows he can't lose her,_

_But he tries to ignore how important she is to him._

_Because that would mean he had to admit that he cared._

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><p><em>fin.<em>

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><p><strong>Just a short compilation of lemons. This story isn't going to have much plot, more focused on the good stuff. Enjoy and review.<strong>


	2. u

**euphoria**

**u.**

-x-

_"Sasuke, watch out!"_

_"...!"_

_"Sasuke!"_

_"Sakura, fuck, don't do that!"_

_"Shut up, Sasuke. You know you love when I scare you."_

_"You're annoying."_

-x-

Sakura thrummed her fingers against the table impatiently, pencil in hand. Her eyes scanned the paper several times before she announced, "I just don't understand."

Tsunade nodded. "I know. It's nothing we've ever seen before."

Sakura scanned the charts carefully, watching the ebbs and flows of the chakra pattern. "Why is it dipping down so low? He should have _plenty _of chakra in reserve."

Tsunade leaned forward and whispered, "That's exactly what I'm worried about. With the Kyuubi inside of him, we shouldn't have to worry about this at all."

Sakura nodded in understanding, glancing at the tan blonde to her right. His bright blue eyes closed, and his chest rising and falling softly with each _beep _of the monitor that was hooked up to him. Sakura's eyebrows knitted together in worry. How was this even possible? What the hell happened on that mission?

"Is Sasuke conscious yet?" Sakura asked absently. If Naruto wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, she _needed _to find out from Sasuke what happened.

Tsunade shook her head. "Not yet. We've been checking on him every fifteen minutes. For now, we're just going to have to treat Naruto for chakra depletion, although I'm not sure it will do much."

"Do you think they ran into the Akatsuki?" Sakura questioned, watching the heart monitor idly.

Tsunade's gaze followed Sakura's. "It's possible. Only they would have the knowledge and skill to deplete the Kyuubi's chakra."

"Right. I assume you've already sent a squad to check that out?"

Tsunade grinned. "You know me so well."

Sakura cracked a smile, although she was terribly worried about her teammates. She'd yet to check on Sasuke, but he was in stable condition, so she wasn't as worried for him. "Maybe Kakashi can use the Sharingan to check on the Kyuubi. See what happened through _him._"

Tsunade nodded and stood. "You might be onto something, Sakura. I'll go get him immediately. I knew there was a reason I kept you around."

Sakura smiled, "Gee, thanks."

"Naruto should be fine for now. I want you to check on the Uchiha and see if he's awake."

Sakura nodded, "Hai."

Tsunade's eyes softened, "Don't worry Sakura, they'll be fine."

Sakura nodded.

_I hope so._

_-x-_

Sakura swiped her ID card in the door, looking through the tiny window to peek inside. On the bed was a mass of dark hair, hiding the pale skin underneath.

His head faced the window, the soft spikes visible to her.

"You're awake."

Sasuke didn't reply, only turned his head from the window to face Sakura – who closed and locked the door behind her. She made her way over to the bed, sitting at the edge. She felt Sasuke's body lean towards her slightly, underneath the weight of the mattress. Her eyes scanned his body for any obvious wounds. Those damn medics were so _lazy _sometimes, refusing to waste their chakra on smaller wounds.

Her fingers grazed a few scrapes and bruises as she spoke, "Naruto is still unconscious. How's your memory?"

"Hazy." He replied curtly. Sakura nodded in understanding.

"Okay, I'll tell Tsunade that –"

"Wait." He interrupted, closing his eyes.

Sakura waited patiently, as he tried recalling the mission.

"We were on our way back," he began uncertainly, "and then we were surrounded. We hadn't sensed anything, so it took us off guard."

"How many?" Sakura encouraged softly.

"Eight."

Sakura nodded. "Akatsuki?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, they weren't wearing the cloaks."

"Interesting…" Sakura murmured, perplexed.

_If it wasn't Akatsuki, then who else could it be? _

Sasuke opened his eyes, gaze meeting hers. "I don't know what they did to him." He whispered.

"But you saw them do _something?_" she prodded hopefully.

He turned his head away to resume looking out of the window, "Yes." he replied through clenched teeth. Sakura knew he was upset that he didn't save his best friend. She touched his shoulder affectionately. Immediately, he shrugged it off.

"I don't need your sympathy." He snapped.

Sakura considered this, all too used to this behavior. "No, you don't." she agreed easily.

His gaze softened, and she knew he regretted snapping. "I'm – "

"It's okay." She finished. She didn't need to hear his apologies.

She stood, checking his vitals from the monitor. "Well, you're vitals are fine. You should be released in a few hours. I'll come check on you later."

Sakura turned to exit, leaving Sasuke to himself.

"What about Naruto?" he asked.

Sakura turned, facing him. "No. He'll be staying here for a while. We're not exactly sure what's wrong with him. I was hoping you'd know, actually."

A moment of silence passed. "His chakra is below average right now. We think the Kyuubi is weakened, but we're not sure how. Kakashi's checking him out now. Maybe when you're better you can see too. But for now, just rest."

Sasuke stared at the floor silently.

Sakura eyed him suspiciously.

_He knows something, _she accused, _and I'm going to find out what it is._

_-x-_

Sakura sat rigid, hands splayed over Naruto's chest. Her eyes were closed in concentration, as she poured a healthy dose of her chakra into his system. They'd been doing this twice a day for three days, in order to keep him alive.

The strange thing was that his chakra kept diminishing.

He wasn't doing any jutsu, so Tsunade thought that maybe the Kyuubi was sucking up the chakra to regain its strength. Hopefully, the Kyuubi was getting stronger again.

Kakashi hadn't been able to detect anything unusual, but they weren't giving up yet. Next, Sasuke was going to take a look. Since his Sharingan was more advanced, perhaps he'd be able to see something.

Sakura sensed the door open. Pausing, she opened her eyes, her glowing hands soon fading.

"Sasuke." She greeted stoically. She was exhausted from constantly giving Naruto vast amounts of chakra, but she tried hiding it. Sasuke narrowed his gaze,

"Stop overworking yourself. I'm sure Tsunade could give Naruto her chakra if you're too tired."

Sakura glared at him. "I'm fine."

He shrugged, walking up to the bed. "Whatever you say."

She stood and moved to the side, allowing Sasuke to hover over Naruto beside her. "I need you to check on the Kyuubi. See if you can contact it somehow."

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his eyes bled red. His gaze searched Naruto's chest, looking for the Kyuubi's chakra. He found it, albeit with much difficulty.

"He's weak." Sasuke stated.

Sakura nodded. "We thought as much. Can you try talking to him?"

Sasuke nodded, but didn't speak. He was entirely focused on Naruto. Sakura waited patiently, clasping her hands together desperately. After a short while, Sasuke spoke. "He says he's getting stronger again. Just keep doing what you've been doing, and he should be fine."

"And Naruto?" Sakura pressed.

"Naruto too." Sasuke confirmed, deactivating the Sharingan. Sakura let out a sigh of relief and faced Naruto. She cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb across his whiskers.

For a moment, everything became dizzy. Her eyes closed, blackness filling her vision.

Sasuke watched as she began to sway. He opened his mouth to speak when her body collapsed, leaving him with less than a second to catch her.

She collapsed into his arms, leaving a very angry Uchiha to carry her home.

-x-

"Sakura."

Sakura blinked.

_Once, twice._

"Where am I?" she murmured.

"Home." A deep voice resonated.

_Sasuke._

Sakura sat up, her eyes adjusting to the brightness. "What happened?"

"You fainted." Sasuke replied, looking down at her.

Everything became clear then, and Sakura looked around to discover that she was in her own bed.

"Naruto - ! "

"– is perfectly fine." Sasuke finished. She shot her gaze to him, widened in disbelief. "He's awake now."

Sakura let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Kami."

"Tsunade said to give you the day off tomorrow. We can visit Naruto tomorrow, but she doesn't want you overworking yourself."

Sakura narrowed her gaze at him. "Why do I have a feeling that this is _your _fault?"

Sasuke smirked. He leaned in close to her, hovering over her body. Sakura leaned back until her head hit the headboard. Sasuke's lips came in contact with her ear as he whispered,

"Because it is."

Sakura shuddered.

Sasuke crawled on top of her, spreading her legs. "You see Sakura, you've been working entirely too much lately." He ground his hips against hers, causing her head to fall back, and her mouth part, a soft pant escaping her lips. "You've been _ignoring _me." he accused roughly, sucking on her neck.

"Sasuke…" she panted, running her fingers through his hair.

"And I simply. Won't. Have. It."

Sakura's eyes shut tightly as she felt him press against her burning core.

Damnit, this Uchiha was going to be the death of her.

-x-

_Giggle._

_"What?"_

_Smile._

_"What?"_

_"Oh nothing, Sasuke. I'm just laughing at your hair."_

_"My hair?"_

_"Yeah, cause it looks like a chicken butt."_

_Glare._

_"Fuck you."_

_"I love you too, Sasuke!"_

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><p><em>fin.<em>

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><p><strong>an - yes, very delayed. senior year is crazy, for serious. but hopefully i'll be able to update quicker. **

**review :D !**


	3. p

**disclaimer - don't own.**

**This chapter is for DeepPoeticGirl (: TRY TO FIND IT. **

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><p><strong>euphoria<strong>

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><p><strong>p.<strong>

Sakura woke up to a warm bed, and a pile of blankets draped across her. She stretched, not quite ready to get up. Snuggling more comfortably into the mattress, Sakura curled up into a ball.

"Mmm…"

After a few more moments of sleep, she decided that she should get up. Stretching out once more, she tossed the covers to the side, an uncomfortable chill slipping down her spine. Rubbing her eyes awake, Sakura looked down to find herself completely naked.

_Sasuke._

Tiredly, she trudged out of bed and opened her drawer, putting on a loose tee shirt and a pair of shorts.

Once she made her way downstairs, the smell of hot tea wafting in the air.

In the kitchen, she found Sasuke washing dishes. Upon hearing her arrival, he turned to face her. "I made Tamagoyaki."

Sakura stared at the table, where a freshly rolled omelet was sitting on a plate, with rice on the side. A cup of hot tea was placed on the table as well. A small smile graced Sakura's face as she walked up to Sasuke, ruffling his hair. "Thank you." She sang, pulling out the chair.

Once Sasuke finished washing, he sat down across from her and they pulled apart their chopsticks.

"Itadakumasu." Sakura whispered while sipping the tea carefully. The rich flavor from the tealeaves invaded her body, invigorating and warming her instantly.

Sasuke gave a grunt in response, shoving a piece of omelet into his mouth.

They ate in silence, but that wasn't unusual for them. Whenever Sasuke spent the night (which sakura had to admit, happened very often), she woke up to the same thing: him making breakfast which they would eat in silence. It was never awkward, but Sakura preferred casual conversation to lack of conversation.

But she dealt.

Once they finished, Sakura took their plates and washed them, proposing they visit Naruto at the hospital.

"No, I told Tsunade that I'd keep an eye on you and make sure you didn't leave the house today." He replied.

Sakura, affronted, gaped. "And I'm not capable of taking care of myself?"

Sasuke smirked, clearly amused. "No, of course not. You'll work yourself to death if it weren't for me."

Sakura placed her hands on her hips, not believing his statement.

"Oh really now? Because if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be so damned tired in the first place. I'd actually have time to _sleep _in my bed instead of – mmph!"

Sakura's sentence was cut off by a pair of soft lips pressing insistently against her own.

"Shut up Sakura. You talk too much." Sasuke whispered hotly, before closing the gap between them once more.

-x-

Sakura rushed her way into Tsunade's office as fast as possible. Shikamaru had come to tell her that Tsunade wanted her immediately. It was urgent.

"Yes, shishou?" Sakura panted, a little out of breath from running over so quickly. Tsunade turned around in her chair, facing Sakura with a folder in her hands. Her pigtails were rather messy today, Sakura noted. She must've been working on this information all night long.

"We've gathered from information out of Naruto and the Uchiha." She stated, business-like. Sakura nodded, immediately sitting down.

Tsunade continued without pause, "Apparently there's another group emerging. Almost like a copycat Akatsuki. With nearly all of the originals dead, we're thinking one of the remaining Akatsuki survivors has forged a new group. This new group has the same agenda as Akatsuki: to control the Jinchuuriki. Whoever this person is, they still have the power of Shikaku, the one-tailed beast. We know that for a fact. We're not sure if they still have power of the remaining Jinchuuriki that they had once captured. Right now I'm sending Kakashi and Yamato on a recon mission see if they can find this group's hideout. It makes a huge difference if they have the power of one, or several Jinchuuriki."

Sakura grit her teeth. That meant Naruto wasn't safe anymore. "But everyone is dead! Pein, Konan, Deidara, Sasori, Kisame…" Sakura lowered her voice to a whisper to utter, "_Itachi."_

_"_Trifles. That doesn't mean anything." Tsunade declared. "However it is unlikely that any of them were resurrected."

There was a moment of silence where Sakura thought it best to let Tsunade think. It seems she accepted Sakura's previous statement and ammended,

"Yes I suppose you're right. Former members: Uchiha Madara, Orochimaru, and Kakuzu are also dead" Tsunade said carefully, as if deep in thought.

"You don't think it's Zetsu, do you? I mean, we _thought _we killed off all of his clones, but who knows? We can't be sure of that. There were so many."

Tsunade poured a small shot of sake and gulped it down quickly. "No, I don't think it's him. Even if he did have one clone alive, he'd only be half as powerful. He wouldn't have the strength to contain the power of any Jinchuuriki, much less gather and form a new group."

Sakura bit her lip in frustration. "Then who?"

Tsunade looked down at her sake cup, swirling the contents around slowly. "There is one…" she began. Sakura clenched her fists, eager for Tsunade to go on. She didn't disappoint. "I'd need Shikimaru to verify this for me, because only he knows the exact whereabouts… but there is a chance it could be Hiden."

Sakura gasped. "Hiden?" the name sounded vaguely familiar, but she didn't remember the details.

Tsunade nodded. "A while back Shikimaru incapacitated him – or so we thought. He became immortal by feeding off of other's lives. He was buried deep underneath the Earth by Shikamaru, and without anyone to kill, theoretically, he'd die. But perhaps he spent his time digging his way back up to the surface."

"But would he really go through all that just to continue with the Akatsuki's wishes?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes gravely. "If any one of them would do it, it'd be him. Hiden was a part of an evil cult religion called Jashin. He craved the deaths of others, and would stop at nothing to gain power over everyone. I have no doubt he caused Naruto's attack. It's only a matter of checking the place where his body was buried."

Sakura stood and nodded fiercely. "I'll get Shikamaru immediately."

"Okay." Tsunade said. Then once Sakura left, "we'd better hope it's him. If not, we may be dealing with something bigger than we can handle."

-x-

After Sakura briefed Shikamaru on what was going on, she returned to the hospital to visit Naruto. It's been a week since him and Sasuke returned from their mission, and he's been regaining his strength well. She hasn't had to transfer as much chakra to him in the last two days, so she assumed he'd be out within a day or two. She checked on him immediately, and was shocked to see that he was awake.

"Naruto." She smiled, rushing to his side.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Been waiting for you all morning." He smiled toothily. She brushed his hair back and cupped his cheek affectionately.

"You better be getting healthier. You're wasting all of my chakra." She teased.

"Be better before you know it, believe it." He murmured, still smiling. She sat at the edge of the bed. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the other's company. "How's the bastard?" Naruto questioned.

Sakura shrugged. "He's fine. He got out within a day. But then again, it wasn't him they were after."

Naruto's smile vanished, and his gaze trailed off into the distance.

"I'm going to have to ask you to try and remember what happened, Naruto. There's something brewing and it's not good. You could be in danger and we don't want that." She took his hand and squeezed it affectionately. "But don't worry, Tsunade's already on the case!" she assured.

He squeezed her hand in return. "Aw, I knew Baa-chan loved me after all."

Sakura giggled. "Yup. For now, just work on getting better. We're taking care of everything."

Naruto nodded and yawned. Sakura – taking the hint – stood and patted his head. "Alright, I got the hint. Get some rest. I'll see you later." With that, Naruto smiled and lay back down against the hospital bed, closing his eyes.

"Ja ne!" she called after her.

Sakura smiled softly, "Ja."

-x-

When Sakura got home, she was surprised to find Sasuke already at her apartment. All of them (Naruto, herself and Sasuke) had the keys to each other's apartments, but they rarely used their privilege to actually invite themselves over.

"Holy cra– Sasuke, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here?"

Sasuke didn't answer her question, merely asking, "Where've you been? It's almost nine."

Sakura plopped on her couch next to Sasuke, closing her eyes in exhaustion. "I was at the hospital as usual, but then Tsunade called me to her office. She thinks she knows what happened to you guys the other day. Right now Kakashi is on a mission to gather intel, and she's sending Shikamaru to check something for her. When Shikamaru comes back, we'll know if our hunch is correct."

"Naruto's in danger, isn't he?"

Sakura fidgeted with her hands for a while. "Yeah, he is." She brought her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on her leg. He didn't reply, and Sakura closed her eyes. "I'm scared." She admitted.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. He was never great at comforting others, especially someone as emotional as Sakura. "He'll be fine."

Sakura nodded, standing. She knew it wouldn't do either of them any good if she was moping around. "Do you want tea?" she asked. He nodded politely and followed her into the kitchen.

After they waited for the tea to boil in silence, they sat down at her kitchen table, sipping the hot beverage with care. "Thanks for helping out, I really appreciate it."

"It's fine." Sasuke replied. His way of saying, _you're welcome._

They finished their tea while Sakura chatted idly, used to his silence. She didn't mind that he was so quiet, only treasured that he spent time with her at all outside of sexual activity. It was strange really, how they got themselves into this predicament. Not too original though. A bet that turned sour on a drunken night, turned into a very physical relationship with the fieriest person she knew. Despite Sasuke's cool façade, he has a wild passionate side that he only allowed himself to show during battle, and sex.

When it came to the topic of sex, Sasuke never ceased to surprise Sakura. He was insanely good at everything he did – which only made Sakura wonder why. She never went too deep with that question, because honestly she was scared to find out the answer. She didn't think that Sasuke would be the type of guy to sleep around, but then again she always found herself surprised when it came to him. She never knew what to expect.

"Sakura."

Sasuke's voice jumbled her from her thoughts, causing her to jump slightly.

"What?" she asked, a small blush forming.

Sasuke smirked. "Nothing. Only that you've been staring at me for the past five minutes."

If possible, Sakura's blush deepened, her face turning completely red. "What? Really?" Sasuke leaned across the table, his gaze deep and impenetrable.

She hardly had time to take a breath before Sasuke's lips planted themselves on hers. Almost as if she was waiting for this since she walked in the door, all trace of embarrassment fled from Sakura's mind as she grabbed his face to properly deepen the kiss. The only thing Sakura could think of as she heard the tea glass fall and clatter to the floor, was how she was going to get Sasuke across the table and pressing against her.

As if reading her thoughts, he stood up, stepping over the broken mug, and walked over to her instantly, closing the gap between them. She felt Sasuke's tongue pushing past her lips and demanding entrance, which she so willingly gave. Her hands entangled themselves in his locks, tugging on them gently, and coaxing him further.

He skillfully flipped them over so that he was sitting in the chair with her straddling his waist. Sakura wasted no time removing both of their shirts and pressing their naked upper halves together. Before Sakura had any time to react, Sasuke tugged down her shorts forcefully, yanking them down violently. Sakura would never admit it, but she loved when Sasuke was rough like this. It caused a pleasurable sensation to tingle and settle in the pit of her stomach.

"Sasuke…" she whispered when he pressed their lower halves together. She felt his manhood poking at her through his shorts and grinded her hips against his to feel more of him. He hissed, gripping her hips tightly.

"Fuck, Sakura."

Sasuke then maneuvered the two of them so that he could remove his own shorts, all the while without parting their heated lip-lock.

When the two were finally naked, Sakura ran her hands down Sasuke's chest and abs, tracing her fingers across his faint whorl of hair that directed her to his throbbing erection. She grasped him skillfully, giving him a tug. Sasuke leaned his forehead against her shoulder, exhaling a quiet breath of air. She felt his puffs of breath against her collarbone and shivered in delight.

While Sakura knew there wasn't much more than lust in any of their encounters (at least on Sasuke's part), she couldn't deny the passion that boiled between them. He was an intense lover, and nothing went unnoticed by him. So when Sakura bit his earlobe after giving him a particularly harsh tug, she wasn't surprised when Sasuke seized her hands and pulled them away from his manhood.

She felt him enter her swiftly, burying himself in her tight wetness. He filled her to the core, and she couldn't help the soft moan that tumbled from her lips. Sasuke pulled out slowly, only to slam back in, _hard._

His thrusts were harsh and sporadic, unlike the steady pace he usually created. With each thrust, Sakura felt his hipbones digging into hers, but the pleasure was too overwhelming for her to even notice. She swiveled her hips frantically trying to keep up with him, but the task proved hard. After a few moments, Sakura just settled for holding on.

A sharp cry escaped her when he hit a particular sensitive spot inside her, and Sasuke smirked, repeatedly aiming for that exact spot. He felt her walls clench around him tightly, and he grit his teeth to refrain from groaning.

"Oh god, Sasuke…right there, right_- oh!"_

Sakura's orgasm was abrupt. She felt wave after wave of pure satisfaction bursting through her veins, and she could've died right then and there without any regre-

"_Fuck."_

Sasuke gripped her hips even tighter, and Sakura knew there would be a bruise after. She didn't care though, because she was still riding the aftereffects of her own blissful release when she felt a warm fluid seep into her hot core. Sasuke grunted harshly, stiffening as his own release took him to his own world.

Her breathing harsh and uneven, Sakura struggled to catch her breath as her heartbeat slowly returned to normal. Her body was weak with exhaustion, but she managed to bury her face in the crook of his neck. She heard his heart beat thrumming faithfully and she sucked his pulse lazily. His skin was salty with the sweat from their activity, and she ran her fingers at the base of his neck, where his hair was dampened by it.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, allowing the air to cool their heated bodies.

After a few moments, Sasuke leaned his head back against the chair and murmured, "Sakura."

That was her cue. "I know, I know." She sat up quickly, climbing off of him and gathering her clothes. Sasuke looked at her for a long minute as she collected her shirt and began redressing. He studied her closely, because he wasn't about to tell her to get off. He thought her reaction to hearing her name was fitting, but it annoyed him. Was that what she assumed?

Once she was dressed, she tossed Sasuke's boxers at him and proceeded to clean up the broken mug.

Sasuke went home that night trying not to think about the pinkette's actions any further, much less why it bothered him so much.

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><p><strong>Reviews are loved (: <strong>


	4. h

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**A/N - This is largely overdue. I'm late, I'm late! TERRIBLY LATE. Try to enjoy?**

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><p>.: :.<p>

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><p><strong>h.<strong>

Sakura was perplexed.

She hadn't seen Sasuke in over a week – something which was very odd. Now she wasn't normally one to prod, but being that their routines coincided so closely to each other's, the only time they spent any real time apart was when one was on a mission. But alas, both were safe and sound in Konoha, and Sasuke hadn't stopped by since last Tuesday. Sakura was starting to get worried.

Was he avoiding her?

No, that didn't make much sense. They hadn't ended on bad terms since they last met. But if it wasn't that…then what?

It was pretty difficult to file all this damn paperwork with him hanging around on her mind like that, and quite frankly, it pissed Sakura off. Why did she even care?

Who cares if he was avoiding her or not? If he was off fucking some other woman? That was the deal, wasn't it? That their relationship was purely physical. There were no other stipulations. No contract stating he had to be faithful to her or her to him. Still, it bugged her that he didn't have the decency to talk to her himself.

Sakura decided that should she happen to run into him, she would act as if she didn't even miss his presence. She definitely didn't want him thinking she'd been thinking about him all week. Oh hell no. She would _not _give him that satisfaction.

He didn't show up to training that day, which was very unlike him. Still, Sakura swore that she wouldn't get her hopes up of seeing him any time soon.

Naruto didn't seem suspicious of his absence in the slightest, merely calling him a "lazy bastard that wanted a day off of training."

After training, Sakura joined Naruto for a bowl (or two) of ramen – and treated him in congratulations for him being out of the hospital and back on the team.

In the corner of her mind, she was still thinking about whoever ambushed Sasuke and Naruto on their mission. Kakashi hadn't returned, and neither had Shikamaru. Tsunade hadn't told her how long it would take them to return, but she didn't think it'd take nearly two weeks. She decided that when she saw Tsunade, she'd ask her about it. In the mean time, she settled for allowing the warm ramen noodles to slide down her throat.

Noiselessly, she felt a familiar chakra walk up to them and sit down on the stool next to her. She turned and was met with a familiar pair of black orbs.

"Sasuke." She greeted breathlessly, somewhat surprised to see him.

He gave her a slight nod in return.

Sakura couldn't help but notice that he had a paler complexion than usual, and his nose was slightly red, as if he'd been blowing it recently…

Naruto berated Sasuke for a few minutes, and then resumed eating. Sasuke ordered a bowl of ramen, settling his elbows on the counter, and allowing his head to rest on his palms.

"You've been sick." Sakura stated bluntly, in sudden realization. Sasuke's eyes were closed as he allowed the steam emitting from the ramen to fill his nostrils. Sasuke made no move to acknowledge her statement, but Sakura knew she was right.

"Aw, the poor bastard's got a cold, does he?" Naruto teased, prodding Sasuke's side with a chopstick. Sasuke – without opening his eyes – swiftly grabbed the chopstick from Naruto's hand and broke it in half. This caused Naruto to whine and complain for several long minutes before the shopkeeper graciously allotted another pair. Once Naruto was quelled, he resumed engorging himself on the delicious noodles, allowing Sakura to turn her attention back to Sasuke – who was now eating his noodles quietly.

"You can stop staring at me now," Sasuke intoned flatly, whilst opening his eyes and directing his gaze at a concerned Sakura.

She spun her chair around to face him, crossing her arms across her chest. "You know, you could have _told me _you were sick. I am a med-nin for a reason."

Sasuke scoffed at this. "It's just a cold. Hardly a reason to visit the doctor."

Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing Sasuke's pride prevented him from visiting Sakura. However, despite Sakura's mild annoyance at Sasuke's blatant lack of humility, she was secretly pleased to discover the reason behind his disappearance. So he wasn't ignoring her.

"Well, Sasuke, now that I know you're sick I probably won't leave you alone for a while," Sakura teased, a small smirk (that she half acquired from being in his presence so often) forming, "Cause I have to make sure you get better, you know?"

Sasuke placed his chopsticks down and seethed through clenched teeth, "You will do no such thing."

Sakura giggled quietly, "We'll see about that."

* * *

><p>Sasuke rolled over in his bed, a restless night's sleep finally behind him. Even though he hadn't slept all night, and the sunlight was now streaking through his windows, he couldn't – for the life of him – muster up the energy to get the hell out of bed. He hated being sick. This wasn't like him to just lounge around doing <em>nothing. <em>It was so unproductive, and it annoyed him. It was almost as annoying as a certain pinkhaired –

_BANG BANG._

Sasuke groaned, burying his face in his pillow.

He most certainly was not answering the door right now. Even if it was almost noon and he still wasn't up yet.

_BANG BANG BANG!_

This person was persistent. That could only mean it's one of two people.

_Please don't be the dobe, _Sasuke thought as he slid out of bed with much effort. Out of the two, he'd much prefer Sakura, although with her doctor instincts probably kicking in, he doubted she'd be a pleasant visitor to him.

_BANG BA – _

Sasuke opened the door just as a small fist was about to encounter it a second time. Instead, said fist came in contact with a muscular chest.

"What do you want, Sakura?" Sasuke growled, his voice rough from sleep.

Sakura blinked, then looked up at his disheveled appearance. Normally, she only saw him like this after one of their heated couplings, but she found that she rather enjoyed seeing him rolling out of bed looking like this. She smiled, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Sasuke…your hair – "

Sasuke opened the door further to allow her in his house. "Are you coming in or what?" he snapped.

Sakura let out a small laugh before nodding and stepping inside. Sasuke shut the door behind him and turned to face her.

He sniffled.

Sakura smiled and sat down on his couch.

"What do you want?" he repeated, standing his ground.

Sakura leaned back against the couch and eyed him carefully. "Well I want a lot of things, Sasuke. But right now, I want you to get better."

"And why is that?" he drawled, stepping closer to her.

Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "You better stay the hell away from me, Sasuke. I'm serious. If I get sick because of you, I'll kill you."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow carefully. "Kill me, Sakura? Such harsh words to a fellow team mate."

Sakura backed up against the couch as Sasuke took another few steps until he was standing directly in front of her. Sakura raised her leg in defense. "I mean it! I'll kick you, don't think I won't!"

Sasuke leaned down over her, one arm on either side of her head. His nose brushed against her cheek as he puffed a small hot breath against her lips, causing her to shudder. "Sasuke…" she whispered, less threatening now.

As Sasuke's lips neared hers, Sakura almost gave in and kissed him, but at the last second, she pushed him away. "No." she said firmly, as he stumbled back a few feet.

Sasuke, not at all offended, smirked in teasing. He shrugged, "Your loss."

Sakura shook her head at his audacity and pedantically made her way over to the kitchen to boil some water.

"You haven't been drinking enough," she murmured clinically, "I can tell. I'm making tea. It'll help with your sinuses too." She began mixing her own medicinal herbs into the existing tea packets as Sasuke made his way to the kitchen. Watching Sakura maneuver around his own kitchen feeling so at home gave Sasuke a weird feeling in his chest that he couldn't quite place.

"If I wanted a doctor, I would tell you." He muttered irritably, before sitting down at the table. Sakura merely paused from her ministrations to give him a cheeky smile. She resumed her task: getting out a cup for him. She hummed softly to herself, as Sasuke strained to try and register the tune she was humming. He gave up only a few moments later. The tea kettle whistled and Sakura hopped from her position near the counter to grab the boiling water and pour it into a cup.

Sasuke took this time to ponder about his pink haired team mate. They'd been intimate for months now. At first he'd been scared that she would go all fangirl on him, but that didn't seem to be the case. While she was still _annoying, _Sakura gave him space. She respected him more as a person now, and understood his needs better. And hell, was she good in bed.

"Here you go." Sakura chirped happily, placing a warm mug in front of him. "You better drink that!" she warned, sitting down. Sasuke shook his head while smirking and took a tentative sip of the hot beverage. He was expecting it to taste bad – since it had a shitload of different herbs – but it didn't. It was strong and bitter, just the way he liked it.

Sakura – satisfied – pulled out a medical textbook from her bag and began reading.

The pair sat for hours – him thinking, her reading – but neither spoke a word until Sakura announced she was going home (and if he needed anything to just ask!), and Sasuke was left alone in his home, wishing she'd never left.

He stayed in the kitchen for quite some time after she left, mourning the loss of her (admittedly) pleasant company. Had it been their genin days, Sakura would have attempted to fill the silence with mindless chatter. But now she understood that he preferred silence. It wasn't uncomfortable silence, it was peaceful. And as her scent slowly began to lose its poignancy, Sasuke roughly stood up and trudged back to his bed where he intended to rid his mind of the pink-haired nuisance.

* * *

><p>It had been a few days now, and Sakura noticed the changes in Sasuke's appearance. His skin – while still quite pale – didn't seem as pasty as it had been when he was sick. It was smooth now, with just a tinge of color. The bags underneath his eyes slowly began to recede, and the redness around his nose vanished. He looked completely healed, except for the occasional cough or two. But his sinuses were cleared, headaches gone, and hopefully, bacteria gone as well. Sakura inwardly cheered at the thought of him getting better, because as much as she may deny it, she really missed his touch.<p>

Ridding her mind of the wicked fantasies, Sakura attempted to return to her work.

She was just filing some paperwork when the door opened.

"Shishou?" Sakura uttered, surprised.

Tsunade walked her way into the room and shut the door behind her, locking it tight. Sakura put down the pen she was currently holding in favor of her curiosity.

"Shikamaru returned." Tsunade stated, all business-like. Blinking, Sakura suddenly realized what that meant. They were closer to finding an answer as to who attacked Naruto and Sasuke on that botched mission last week. Naruto was doing well now, and was just released from the hospital two days ago. He was back home and safe, but Sakura had made it a habit to stop by Naruto's house every day before she went to visit Sasuke. Needless to say, she'd been a little tired lately. But it was all worth it in the end.

"What'd he find?" Sakura pressed eagerly. Tsunade pulled up a chair and sat, folding her hands on the counter without breaking eye contact with Sakura.

"Hiden's remains are gone. Either he escaped, or they've been desecrated. We still haven't figured that out yet. But I think it's safe to say that Hiden or someone affiliated with him attacked Naruto and Sasuke. We still don't know what Hiden wants with Naruto, but I do think it's something completely unrelated to the Akatsuki's plans. If he were trying to capture all of the beasts then he most likely would have made an attack on Bee, but he hasn't." Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"It's exhausting trying to figure this stuff out. As if we need this. We just ended a huge war for Kami's sake."

Sakura reached over and placed her hand on Tsunade's shoulder reassuringly.

"I know it's tough."

"There's going to have to be a follow up recon mission. I'm still debating on who to send, but if I need to reinstate Team Seven sometime in the near future, be prepared. I may just send out Kakashi and the nin-dogs for this one, but should action need to be taken, I will send the three of you. Perhaps Sai also, depending on the situation. But just be ready Sakura. It can happen at any moment."

Sakura nodded obediently and smiled. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out."

Tsunade cracked a weary smile, "I sure hope so."

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><p>After the hospital, Sakura wasn't scared to admit that she was a bit nervous for the upcoming days. What if they were sent out on a mission? Sasuke was still recovering from a cold and Naruto just regained full control of his chakra days ago. The danger was evident, and yet Tsunade still chose (or would choose) to send them? Would she really choose to put Naruto in the face of danger like that? Or was she using him as bait to try and draw out their attacker?<p>

It was a little too much to think about for the moment, and Sakura settled on the thought that she'd ask Tsunade these questions the next time she saw her. For now, all she wanted to do was relax.

Once home, Sakura wasted no time in taking a hot shower. She made sure to shave because who knew when Sasuke would show up? And she hadn't in almost a week anyway. She felt refreshed once she left the shower; invigorated, almost.

Sakura debated on whether or not she'd go visit Sasuke or wait and see if he came to her. But in the end, she decided she wasn't patient enough to wait. Before leaving her house she remembered to spray some subtle perfume and put some chapstick on her lips. She knew Sasuke preferred simple girls, so she didn't add any makeup. Plus she felt her eyes would stick out way too much if she were to add makeup.

On her way over, she suddenly began to feel giddy. It'd been over a week since her and Sasuke had last met up and her belly was already quivering in anticipation.

She knocked twice, knowing that he was probably eating dinner at this time. He answered swiftly, in less time than she expected, and merely stepped aside when realizing it was her.

"Good afternoon, Sasuke!" she proudly asserted, stepping inside. Sasuke closed the door behind him and walked into the kitchen, where Sakura followed.

He sat down in a chair and picked up his chopsticks, resuming his meal quietly.

Sakura took a seat across from him and smiled brightly. "How are you feeling today?" Sasuke shrugged noncommittally, scooping some rice into his mouth. How he could do this eloquently, not even Sakura knew. Sakura waited patiently for him to finish his meal. Once he was done, Sakura stood and cleared his plate for him. She washed the dish in the sink and turned to him with a knowing smile.

"Sas-u-ke," she pronounced carefully, pushing her breasts forward. She immediately noticed how his eyes flitted to her bust briefly before returning to her face. She grinned.

Stepping towards him slowly, her fingers worked their way up his shirt to fist his collar. She tugged, and with her inhumane strength, was able to make him stumble a few inches forward.

Their lips met.

It was like fire burning inside of her. Not the slow kindling warmth, but raw and unadulterated heat. It'd been far too long since she'd had him, and she was desperate to have her fill. Sasuke returned the kiss just as vigorously, hands everywhere all at once. There wasn't a spot that his hands didn't touch, and Sakura pulled her shirt over her head quickly and threw it across the room. Sasuke's hands wasted no time smoothing across the revealed flesh. His touch was addicting, and she pressed their upper halves together firmly, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers twirled the hairs at the nape of his neck as she nibbled on his lower lip, tugging gently. Sasuke growled and bent his knees, hoisting her up into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his slim waist and allowed them to blindly lead them into Kami knows where. Suddenly she felt a soft pillow underneath her. Had Sasuke really carried them all the way to his room? Damn.

Sakura arched her back, eager to feel more of him. Her fingers teasingly traced the abs underneath his shirt. He groaned into the kiss and cupped her breast through her bra. The searing heat she felt radiating through his body caused her to moan in return.

Rough, calloused hands slipped underneath her pants and rubbed her arousal, causing her to cry out in surprise.

"Fuck, you're wet," he hissed through clenched teeth.

She wanted him badly. And vaguely, in the back of her mind, Sakura wondered when she'd become this physically desperate for him. She knew she cared for him as a teammate, and had loved him for as long as she could remember. But at this point, she was resigned to the fact that all she'd ever get from him was a physical relationship. That's all they'd ever be. She was only a fuck.

And it stung, because he was so much more than that to her. He was everything.

A finger slipped into her warmth and Sakura was jolted from her dark musings.

She closed her eyes tightly, intent on just giving in to the pleasure, much like he was doing. She knew he wasn't over analyzing this the way she was. He slipped a second finger into her and she pulled his hair viciously, causing him to swear profusely.

Abruptly, Sasuke withdrew his fingers. Seconds after whimpering over the loss, she felt his tip hit her folds. Her hips bucked upwards impatiently, trying to stimulate _some sort _of pleasure. He smirked at her impatience. How was it that even when he wanted to fuck her just as much – if not more – than her wanting and begging for him, he still held the control? Didn't his lust outweigh hers? Apparently not. As she desperately rolled her hips to feel the tip of his erection press against the seam of her sex, she whined in frustration.

"What do you want, Sakura?" He whispered hotly in her ear, nipping the lobe.

She was lost in a myriad of feeling and lust and sexual tension. "I…I want…you…_now…_"

Sasuke _tsked _and shook his head, "Not good enough."

Sakura glared at him. Of course, he didn't see because he was too busy pressing hot open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone. He sucked on her salty flesh, licking the sweat clean off her skin.

"I want you to _fuck _me." She growled.

Sasuke chuckled, "As you wish." And in seconds he was buried to the hilt inside of her. Sakura's nails dug into his shoulder at the intrusion, feeling herself swell to accommodate his turgid length.

Sakura mewled in appreciation and lolled her head back, mouth parted in silent ecstasy. Sasuke started at her swollen pink lips, an urge to kiss them suddenly overcoming him. He pressed his lips to hers sensually, taking Sakura off guard. Her hands cupped the nape of his neck, holding his head close and deepening the kiss. Her eyebrows furrowed, overcome with emotion. Sasuke rolled his hips, hitting a sweet spot deep inside of her.

_BANG BANG._

Sasuke suddenly jerked away, eyes wide. The two froze, panting heavily.

"Should we?"

Sasuke shook his head no, continuing his brutal pace from before. He heaved over her, all semblance of gentle passion gone. Sakura frowned, lamenting the loss of the wonderful kiss they'd shared. The banging on the door jolted her out of the moment, the pleasure slowly ebbing away. She couldn't focus knowing someone was impatiently waiting at the door.

_BANG BANG!_

Sasuke cursed, most likely at the banging, and Sakura guessed it could only be one person: Naruto. There was no way Sakura was achieving release at this rate, so she settled on hoping Sasuke would finish soon.

But Sasuke noticed that the pleasure was gone from Sakura's face.

_BANG BANG!_

Sasuke swore, pulling out of her roughly. Muttering profanities under his breath, he tore himself away from Sakura and pulled on a pair of shorts, stomping his way downstairs. Sakura took a moment to collect herself, catching her breath, before pulling her clothes back on.

She closed her eyes briefly, remembering the kiss they shared right before interruption. What was that about? Surely she couldn't ask him about it.

Sakura slowly made her way downstairs where a chatty Naruto and grumpy Sasuke were standing. Making sure to fix her hair and put a smile on, Sakura greeted the two warmly,

"Hello."

She only hoped Naruto wouldn't be staying for long.

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><p><strong>Review! And Merry early Christmas :D <strong>


	5. o

**A/N - wow this took TOO long. I'm so sorry I've neglected this story. If you guys even remember it at this point...lol. There's no sex in this chapter, but don't fret! All will come in due time~ **

**I also plan to update Beyond This Illusion, even though the plot is so vastly different from the manga now. **

**Happy ssmonth, all!**

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><p><strong>.:: euphoria ::.<strong>

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><p><strong>o.<strong>

"For obvious reasons, I can't send Naruto."

Sakura considered this for a moment, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Then who do you propose?"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, thinking quietly for a moment. "Kakashi is on a special mission for me now, so that's out of the question. I need Ino and Hinata to take care of the hospital while you're away, and Shikamaru just returned. I daresay admit that the Uchiha would perhaps be the best person to accompany you."

Sakura remained perfectly still for a moment. She had no doubt that Sasuke would be able to cast aside their personal situation in favor of professionalism, but the thought of being on such an important mission _alone _with him unnerved Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun is just getting over a cold, I don't think he'll be best for the…"

Tsunade interrupted her, "Do you have a particular aversion to pairing up with the Uchiha?"

Sakura hesitated, "no, but…"

"Then I need him to go with you. He's strong enough for something like this."

So he'd have to come, after all.

"Perhaps Sai could accompany us as well, shishou." She requested respectfully.

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Fine. I don't trust the Uchiha fully yet, so this will be his chance to prove himself. But don't you dare tell him that. Come back in an hour with both him and Sai and I'll give you the briefing."

"Hai," Sakura murmured, standing and bowing lowly before exiting the room.

She exhaled a breath upon exiting.

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><p>"I heard you tried to prevent me from going on the mission." Sasuke blurted, staring at her intently from her bed.<p>

Sakura was busy packing her traveling bag as quickly as possible, so they could depart first thing in the morning. She paused as he spoke, lifting her head to stare back at him quietly.

"Where did you hear-"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not it's true."

Biting her lip, Sakura glanced away. Should she tell him the truth? Should she admit that she still felt shy around him in battle? That he still – after all this time – didn't trust her to be competent enough to handle herself?

"It's true. You're getting over being sick and I didn't want you to risk your health."

Sasuke scoffed, sitting up more fully. "That's bullshit," he retorted sharply. "You know I'm more than capable of handling myself."

"Yes, I know that," she turned on him quickly, eyes blazing, "but sometimes I wonder if you feel the same way about me!"

Arching an eyebrow, Sasuke intoned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sakura turned away from him, stuffing things into her bag quietly. She ignored him for a good measure before reluctantly muttering, "you know what it means."

She heard footsteps, and the bed creaking. Suddenly, he was right behind her, hot breath fanning out across the back of her neck. "No I don't." Sakura could practically _feel _the narrowing of his eyes.

"You still think I'm weak." She whispered, throat tightening. She refused to allow her emotions to get the better of her, but all bets were out the window when it came to him. "You don't have to say it; I can just tell."

Sasuke's hand gripped her shoulder, forcefully tugging her shoulder and spinning her around to face him. He gripped her shoulders tightly, dipping his head so that she was at her level. "You shouldn't assume things, Sakura," he began harshly, "and don't think _for _me when I haven't said anything one way or another."

Releasing her, Sasuke walked out of her bedroom. She heard his footsteps disappearing down the hall, and after a beat, her front door closed swiftly.

Sakura remained frozen, slinking down to the floor as she stared blankly at the spot where he just stood.

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><p>At five in the morning, Sakura leaned against the great red archway of the entrance to the village. Her knapsack sat on the ground, and her arms were folded, eyes closed.<p>

She was an hour early, but she really hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and she was tired of sitting in bed with her eyes wide open, replaying the words Sasuke had spoken.

Apparently, he _didn't _think she was weak.

Well, he didn't outright say as much, but his words implied it. Then why did she constantly feel like he was belittling her?

Opening her eyes, Sakura saw the first rays of the sun peeking through the trees. The sky was painted in various colors, illuminating the trees around her.

"You're early."

Sakura's eyes shifted from the sky to the raven haired ninja to her left. "How perceptive." she murmured softly in return, with a bite.

"Why."

Sakura rounded on him roughly, "Why do you even _care?"_

"Whatever."

Sakura watched as Sasuke settled himself about twenty feet from her, leaning against a nearby tree. He dropped his bag to the ground and closed his eyes, brows furrowed.

"For your information, I couldn't sleep." She reluctantly added after a few moments. He didn't answer.

Sighing in defeat, Sakura's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry about yesterday." She realized that starting a mission off with this tension wouldn't be good for either one of them. So she had to apologize in order to preserve the unity of their team.

Sasuke – of course – made no indication that he'd heard her, but she knew he was listening. She stepped closer to him cautiously, shaking her head. "I just…I always feel like I have to prove myself when I'm with you. Like I'm not _good _enough."

Part of this stemmed from that fact that they could _fuck _but not be together. She felt insecure; as if she wasn't worthy of being in a relationship with him or something. Even after all this time.

"You're not weak." He grumbled, finally opening his eyes. "You haven't been weak for years. I don't dole out compliments, Sakura, you should know that."

"I _do _know that! But you've never even acknowledged…" she trailed off quietly, looking down.

Sasuke sighed in frustration. Why did women need positive reinforcement all the time? "You're the best medic in the world next to the Hokage. How could you even think for a minute that I thought you were weak? I wouldn't trust anyone else to heal me, and yet you created this notion of my opinion in your head."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." She murmured, stepping close enough to wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face into his shoulder.

He stiffened for a moment, but gradually relaxed under her touch, patting the top of her head once. Sakura pulled away before she overstepped the boundaries and gave him a watery smile.

"I'm such a mess, aren't I."

Sasuke smirked. "Yeah. The worst kind." He teased lightly, trying to restore their fickle _whatever_ship they had.

The pair enjoyed the rest of the morning in comfortable silence, waiting for their final companion. Sakura wasn't particularly thrilled about being alone on a mission with Sasuke and Sai (the two have yet to get along), but she figured this would give the men some forced bonding time without Naruto.

They set off at a brisk pace, following the lead Tsunade had given them.

Apparently, a Hidan look-alike had been spotted in Kumo, in the Village Hidden in the Clouds. They were instructed to search the village, asking around for information. If necessary, Sakura was to use any tactics necessary to get information – including seduction. She hoped that wouldn't be the case though.

However, she was assigned captain of the team, and there was a secret envelope that she'd yet to open from Tsunade.

It took them a few days to arrive at Kumo, but their pace was quick and determined. They hardly stopped to rest, knowing that they'd rent rooms at an inn once they arrived in the village.

Tsunade had reserved three separate rooms for them, knowing that Sasuke and Sai didn't get along. Once they reached the inn, Sakura held a meeting in her room to regroup.

"Alright. So apparently there's a local bar here called Doujo's Den, and it often has ninja passing through. We're to hunt for information here. Tsunade gave me special instructions in a separate envelope, so I may not be with you guys the entire night. Either way, we'll meet at the bathrooms by midnight. If one of us aren't there, it's safe to assume that person is in danger. Got it?"

Sasuke and Sai nodded curtly. Sai muttered something about returning to his room to prepare. Sakura was half expecting Sasuke to follow, but he didn't.

Once Sai exited the room, Sasuke didn't hesitate to interrogate her. "What's in the envelope?"

Sakura shook her head. "I haven't looked yet."

"Look now."

Narrowing her eyes to indicate she didn't appreciate being bossed around, she reluctantly opened the envelope.

_Sakura,_

_I'm sure you've guessed by now why I needed to tell you this separately, and I'm only sorry I have to ask this of you. The bar's owner – Doujo – is said to house any nin for the night if presented with the right price. I'm betting that Hidan stayed there when he was spotted last week._

_I want you to confront Doujo and get information._

_Do whatever you have to do to get him to speak, save killing him._

_-Tsunade_

Sakura stared blankly, rereading the last sentence a second and third time.

"What does it say?"

She handed him the letter wordlessly, closing her eyes. She'd never been on a seduction mission before. More often that not, Ino was sent on them, and Sakura could recall the blonde returning with horrible tales about the event. Of course, Sakura was trained to handle this situation, but she didn't like it.

She watched Sasuke fling the letter away from himself in disgust after hefinished reading. "No."

"Sasuke, this isn't up to you-"

"I said _no. _You're not resorting to _that."_

At this, Sakura stood. She had _enough _of his demands. "Last time I checked, _I _was the team captain, not you. I will do what I have to in order to ensure this mission's success."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, teeth clenched as he shot back, "I don't want you-"

"Want me _what? _Don't want me fucking him? Do you think I want that either? Trust me, Sasuke, I will do everything in my power to avoid that scenario, but if it comes to it, I have no choice. Not that you should care anyway. It's not like you're my boyfriend." She spit out the last part rather harshly.

So much for staying on his good side for the sake of the mission.

Instead of retorting back, Sasuke turned on his heel swiftly, muttering a, "be ready in an hour," before slamming the door behind him.

Sakura was left with her heart racing, veins pulsing, and lungs burning.

Had she really just said that?

She scrunched her brows, ignoring the burning behind her eyes that threatened tears to fall. She stomped to the bathroom and pulled out the makeup bag given to her by Ino for the occasion.

She had a job to prepare for.

* * *

><p>Sakura exited her room stealthily, balancing lightly in the stilettos she had to wear. The simple black dress she donned was ill-fitting – much too tight for her tastes – but it'd get the job done. She knew instantly that Sasuke would critique her apparel, and therefore dreaded the moment he decided to exit his room and meet her in the lobby.<p>

Sai showed up first.

He worse a grey button up shirt and black slacks. Sakura had to admit, he cleaned up pretty well.

"My, my Ugly, have you really become that self-conscious? Trying to hide behind face paint in an attempt to look pretty?"

"Shut up, Sai. I'm not in the mood," she grumbled, cracking her knuckles. "You know very well what this is for."

Sai's expression sobered, a serious frown marring his face. "Tsunade required you do go through _those _measures?"

Sakura nodded stiffly. "I'm to do whatever I have to."

"We won't be far. If something happens, flare your chakra. We'll also stick to meeting by the bathrooms at midnight."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Sasuke walked down the hallway. His black button up had the first button undone, allowing Sakura to see part of the pale expanse of his chest. His black attire only forced his pale skin to stick out even _more. _He looked like a walking sin.

Sakura wondered why she'd never seen him so dressed up before. And of course, now that they were on a mission, and arguing to boot…she doubted she would get to benefit from his attractive looks tonight.

"Ready?" she asked.

Sasuke nodded once.

As they walked, Sakura slipped her arms inbetween Sasuke's and Sai's. Despite her height disadvantage, Sakura managed to keep up with their brisk pace – even in the heels she wore.

"Might as well use this time to go over our cover-ups. I'm Keiko, a civilian who loves to travel. You two are my very distant cousins, Daisuke and Haru. We're originally from Snow, but decided to take a trip across the countries."

"Who is Daisuke and who is Haru?" Sai asked pleasantly.

Sakura gave him a look. "You're Daisuke. Sasuke's Haru."

The rest of the walk was quiet.

Once they arrived, Sakura released their arms, and they slowed their pace considerably. "Keep your eye out for someone who looks important," she instructed, referring to the owner. She needed to find him as soon as possible in order to have ample time to get information.

They were seated quickly, and ordered drinks for show. Sakura's eyes scanned the crowd. "I don't see him," she murmured hopelessly.

"Nor do I." Sai replied. If there was one thing Sakura could count on with Sai, it was his perception.

Sasuke's eyes were closed, hands folded neatly underneath his chin. "He's upstairs," Sasuke stated. "He's with another girl right now."

Sakura cursed under her breath.

"Well we're going to have to change that, aren't we?" Sakura stood from her place at the booth, grabbing her clutch. "I'm going to go dance."

"What?"

Sakura looked at the dance floor and frowned. "I'm sure if I attract enough attention, someone will notify the owner. I doubt he'll stick to one girl for the night."

Glancing back at her teammates, she failed to see the deep frown marring Sasuke's features. "Bathroom at midnight. Good luck guys."

Without another look, Sakura disappeared into the crowd of bodies on the dance floor.

Sasuke took a swig of sake to get him through the night.

* * *

><p>"See that girl there?" a man whispered quietly to his companion. The other man nodded slowly, transfixed by the women on the dance floor. She commanded everything around her, swaying her tantalizing hips to the sway of the music perfectly.<p>

"The boss would like to have her, probably."

The man snorted. "_I'd _like to have her. Tied up and-"

"Shut up. I'll go get Doujo-sama."

Hmph. "Whatever."

* * *

><p>Sakura could feel multiple stares on her, but she pretended to ignore them all. She pretended to be so overwhelmed by the music, that she didn't know anything that was going on around her. But, she was very aware of two things:<p>

One, two important looking security guards who couldn't keep their eyes off her, disappeared upstairs.

Two, Sasuke was ignoring _his _job and _also _couldn't keep his eyes off her.

However, she had a feeling the latter meant she was in big trouble with him. But she couldn't worry about that now. Because there was a fairly husky man in a suit walking her way, and she'd bet anything it was Doujo.

"Do you mind?" he asked politely, a fake smile plastered to his face.

Business.

She smiled in return, nodding slightly. "Of course."

The man held out his hand, "why don't I get you a drink?"

"I'd love that."


End file.
